Improvement in artificial leather



of the stone;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'EENEY A. CLARK, 0F EoSToN, MASSAoHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ARTIFICIAL LEATHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,117, dated July2'2, 1873; application filed July 12, 1873.

CAsE B.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. CLARK, of Boston, Suffolk county, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improved Preparation of Paper or ofCloth, or of Paper and 010th combined, for use as a substitute forleather, of which the following is a specification:

The purpose of this invention is not only to adapt ordinary paper orcloth, or paper and cloth combined, for use, in many cases, as asubstitute for leather, more particularly where leather is employed as acovering or lining for materials-as, for instance, leather itself, wood,pasteboard, &c.-in the manu facture of various articles of trade, butalso to give to it the color and appearance otherwise of theleather forwhich it is to be substituted, and to render it, under all practicalcircumstances, thoroughly proof against in-' jury from water,perspiration, or moisture.

Under this invention the sheet material is coated or covered upon oneside or surface with the flock of wool, silk, cotton, or hair, or othersuitable flock, cotton or silk being preferable, and upon the other sideor surface with lithographic ink, each coating, as to color, imitatingthe leather for which the sheet material is to be substituted, and bothsurfaces being rendered proof against water or moisture by means ofshellac varnish or other suitable water-proofing material.

The lithographic ink is applied to the one surface of the sheet materialas follows: First, in the ordinary manner of lithographic printing,apply the lithographic ink to the surface then lay the sheet material tobe prepared upon the said prepared ink-surface of the stone,,and subjectit to the ordinary transfer operation of a lithographic press, therebytransferring the ink from the stone to the sheet material. Now removethe sheet material from the Stone, and, when its lithographic-inksurface is dry, apply with a brush a coating of shellac varnish or othersuitable water-proof to said ink-prepared side or surface.

The flock of cotton, or silk, or other material, is applied to the thenremaining unprepared surface of the paper, 860., as follows: First coatthe said surface with shellac varnish or other suitable water-proofmaterial, and, when it is dry, then apply a coating'of any suitableadhesive material or cementas,

for instance, such as is commonly used for flocking purposes-and, beforethe said cement dries, sprinkle a sufficient quantity of the flock onthe cemented surface to thoroughly cover it, the cement, as it dries,securing the flock to the surface of the sheet material.

It is preferable to use a grain or pebbled cloth or paper, as a moreperfect resemblance to leather is thus obtained; but it is notessential.

The sheet material prepared in accordance with this invention, as beforestated, is intended as a substitute for leather, and, in use, is to becemented to the article which it is to cover or to line.

As both sides of the sheet material are water-proofed, obviouslymoisture, either from the cement used or from the atmosphere, orotherwise, is prevented from injuring its prepared surfaces.

Shellac varnish is deemed the best waterproof material to use, as italso imparts a body and a good wearing-surface to the sheet material.

Although the sheet material has been herein described as prepared withonly one coat of lithographic ink, it may be prepared with a series ofcoats, one after another,'waiting for each successive coat to properlydry; and also with morethan one coat of varnish or other water-proofmaterial.

To apply the cement for the flock it is preferable to use a lithographicpress, first disposingthe cement upon the stone, and then transferringit to the sheet material, as ordinarily in lithographic printing. Bythis mode the cement is most evenly disposed upon the sheet material,thus obtaining a most even flocking.

I do not claim, broadly, paper or other sheet material printed withlithographic ink; nor do I'claim, broadly, paper or other sheet materialsurfaced with flock; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

Paper, or cloth, or other suitable sheet material, prepared on one sidewith flock, on the other with lithographic ink, and on both sideswater-proofed, all substantially as herein described, for the purposespecified.

Witnesses: HENRY A CLARK.

ALBERT W. BROWN, JOHN P. MCELR-OY.

